Sally Dexter changed the Emmerdale scene where Faith Dingle caught sight of her double mastectomy scars.
The 59-year-old actress’ alter-ego underwent the procedure in the soap – with Brigitte Cole, 67, used as a body double for scenes where the character looked at herself in the mirror after surgery – and Sally says she urged bosses to create a more inspirational moment.
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Speaking to The Stage, she said: “It was wonderful to meet Bridget, this sparky, savvy woman.
“Initially it was written that I had a terrible row with my daughter, I take my clothes off to get ready for bed, catch sight of myself in the mirror and burst into tears.
“And having met Bridget, I just thought this was not how it should be. And thankfully – they are a very intelligent and sensitive lot at Emmerdale – they listened when I asked them to change it.”
Instead, Sally – who first appeared on the show in 2017 – wanted Faith to get “strength” from her scars, rather than be upset by them.
She explained: “We decided the best thing to do was to film Faith in floods of tears after the row. She starts to get undressed, catches sight of herself in the mirror and stops crying.
“She looks at her scars, gains strength from them. They are evidence of survival.
“It was a hugely important shift and gave honour to Bridget and all the women who have been through that.”
Sally – who is starring as Fan Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge’s sister, in a production of Christmas Carol – previously admitted she feels as though she has left her “family” behind after departing Emmerdale.
She told This Morning: “It’s sort of irresistible. I do feel like I’ve left family up there, and we’re still in touch. They’re coming down to see me in the show.
“It’s so peculiar but I do feel like I have a son and a daughter, a granddaughter and several great-grandchildren. It feels like that.”
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Faith left Emmerdale earlier this year after it was revealed she knew about Cain’s secret son, Nate.
Cain had no idea he’d fathered a child with a childhood girlfriend until Nate revealed his true identity and that he was back for revenge.
Nate had an affair with Cain’s wife, Moira, to punish him, and now Cain has turned his back on them both.
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